


A Necessary Break

by theweddingofthefoxes



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Admiration, First Kiss, Fluff, JediFest, M/M, they're bad at flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-15
Updated: 2016-12-15
Packaged: 2018-09-08 20:19:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8859622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theweddingofthefoxes/pseuds/theweddingofthefoxes
Summary: General Hux goes looking for Kylo Ren while he trains, just to make sure he's safe. Things get more honest than he expects.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [squire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/squire/gifts).



The report that no one had seen Kylo Ren for the better part of two days did not bother General Hux at all at first; on the contrary, it was rather pleasant. When Lieutenant Mitaka informed Hux that no one seemed to know where it was, it barely elicited a raise of Hux's eyebrow. He didn't even look away from the execution order he was reading.

"My assumption is that Commander Ren is training," Hux said mildly. Without looking, he could sense Mitaka's entire body relaxing. "This happens every time, Lieutenant. Ren vanishes for seventy-two hours or so, and then shows up at the medbay to have his cuts cleaned. Rest assured, if anything happened to Supreme Leader Snoke's favorite pet, I would have been informed immediately."

"Yes, sir," Mitaka said, seeming surprised that Hux was so unfazed, but absolutely not minding. "I'll let the other officers know."

Hux signed the order and leaned back in his chair. These self-imposed exiles of Ren's benefited everyone, he thought. Hux got more work done and Ren kept busy doing something that was apparently important to both him and Snoke. Still, the more Hux thought about it, the more he wondered. It wouldn't hurt just to check, just to be sure. He'd hate to eventually get summoned by Snoke and have to explain that he didn't bother to check. And somewhere deep down, there was a pang of concern, a mild fear that maybe Ren was not okay. He shoved that aside, down to the same place where he stored the feeling that came over him on the rare occasions when Ren was not wearing his mask, or the feeling that came over him on those occasions when Ren eyed in in an open, hungry kind of way. Hux has always assumed it was mocking or to make him angry. It was better to assume that, he knew. 

The rooms in which Ren trained were fully off-limits to 99 percent of the ship, but Hux had the access code. Of course, there were some spaces where not even Hux could go--he was under the impression these were some kind of mystic spaces that Snoke had set aside for rituals or strange ceremonies, whatever. Hux didn't really know the specifics, or care to. He punched in the code and let himself into the training space. 

The room was dimly lit, most of the illumination seeming to come from the neon red of Ren's saber. Hux had seen Ren wield it, of course, but usually for the purposes of intimidation--he had never actually seen Ren in combat. This didn't exactly count, but it did give Hux a much better idea of just how lithe Ren was, how fast he was, how relentless he was. The practice droids he was facing might as well have been toys, and Ren systematically destroyed them, no matter how fast or erratic they were or how many of them came at him at once. Hux found himself swallowing hard, watching Ren work. Was there anything more lovely than a weapon?

He froze when he remembered, far too late, that even if Ren couldn't see him, he could definitely sense him. Sense his thoughts. Especially since Hux hadn't exactly bothered to guard them--he'd been too distracted--

The last practice droid dispatched, Ren went still, wide-legged, his chest heaving. Hux could practically see the adrenaline rolling off him, like a hot visible breath in chilly air. 

"General?" he called, stepping forward. Unburdened by his helmet, or his cloak, or the heavy accoutrements that Hux normally saw him in, he seemed light on his feet as the orange felinx that Hux kept in his quarters. "Is my privacy simply unimportant to you, or is there a reason for your visit?"

"Did you think I simply wandered in for my own amusement?" Hux retorted. "Yes, of course there's a reason for my visit."

"Amusement is a reason," Ren said, and though it was hard to see in the low light, Hux was sure he was smirking.

"Not my reason, Commander. I thought I might check and ensure you're alive so I don't have to make excuses when the Supreme Leader asks why I've let you die in isolation."

"Shouldn't you know that this is routine? I frequently--"

"I already gave my men this exact speech, thank you. Nearly word for word. But it would have been remiss of me to not be certain."

"Well. I'm alive. Here I am." 

"How long have you been training today? Have you eaten?"

Ren laughed aloud at that. "General. Surely you're not worrying yourself sick about my little cuts and bruises?"

Hux felt himself flush. "If you aren't caring for yourself properly, you won't be at peak performance. I don't intend to have to answer for your lack of self-preservation."

"Easy, General. Yes. I eat and drink. I'm not dying. I'm simply trying to remove myself from all the distractions of this ship while I improve."

Despite himself, Hux was curious. "You've been training since you were a child, Ren. Do you still have so much left to learn?"

Ren powered down his saber, and the room was even dimmer without the ambient red of it between them. "My training isn't like your promotions, General. When you were promoted through all your ranks, they couldn't be taken away from you." He paused. "Unless you truly messed up, I suppose. But my point is, my training is not an achievement. It's a process. If I stop..."

He left unsaid any number of answers. If he stopped, he would forget how to be the best. He would make errors. Others would surpass him. He would no longer be important to Snoke, or to the First Order. He had to keep going. Hux understood this. 

"I'm sorry to interrupt," Hux said, and there was no bite to the statement. "I don't mean to distract."

"A break is necessary," Ren said, stepping yet closer. Hux did not move. Once more, he thought about how easily Ren could intrude on his thoughts, hear how his inner voice whispered about how rewarding it was to watch Ren train, how he would be happy to give Ren all the practice time he wanted, unless, of course, he could watch him in real combat...

The harder Hux tried to muffle these thoughts, the more determined they were to rise to the surface. "General," Ren said, much quieter now. "Your mind is busy."

Hux had to laugh.

"It always is."

"A break is necessary," Ren repeated. 

"I can't." It was the same, Hux thought, the same as Hux's training. Sure, his rank and position were secure, but there would always be the threat of failure, of being eclipsed, of proving his father right if he did not keep moving, keep forcing himself forward.

"Just for one minute," Ren said, hypnotic, nearly in Hux's ear, and Hux did not protest. When Hux didn't move, or stalk away, or snarl or yell, Ren leaned down, just slightly, and kissed Hux, softly at first but gladly letting the intensity increase when Hux grabbed Ren's bare shoulders and pulled him closer, greedy, savoring him. _Just for one minute. Just for one minute_. He would allow this for their first kiss.

Ren pulled away, gently, not in distaste but just so he could talk, softly. "This is what I mean by distractions on your ship, General."

"It is?" It sounded stupid, childish, asking that way, but Hux was in disbelief.

"It is," Ren confirmed. "Especially when you seem to be everywhere."

"I am everywhere. It's my duty to be everywhere, always." 

"Then maybe you should be here more often." The dim light couldn't hide the look that Hux knew, the one he'd seen before--the way Ren seemed to openly want him, like he didn't realize there was no mask on him to hide the look on his face. Or didn't care. 

Hux took a deep breath, drew himself back to his normal tense, stiff stance, which they both knew was simply a front. "If you insist on hiding yourself away, I'll have no choice but to come looking for you."

"Then come," Ren says, placing a teasing soft kiss on Hux's lower lip. "Come find me, then."

**Author's Note:**

> Happy JediFest, everybody! The prompter wanted Kylux first kiss and Kylo practicing with his lightsaber. I hope this is just what you wanted! <3 <3


End file.
